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224 Valkyrie Cycling issue...

Jfoley

Fairly new to running an AR platform and am having issues with some of my reloads..


So I'm attempting to match the factor Federal 60gr Nosler BT's.
Out of my gun they shoot between 3100fps and 3150fps.
I've matched their seating depth using my Hornady Bullet Comp.
Ive relatively matched Velocity.(3100fps) using 26.8gr of H335.
I use rem 7 1/2 bench rest primers, which press in tight.
Bullets and Barrel are moly coated.

I have the savage msr15 LRP in the .224 Valkyrie which has an adjustable gas block and have watched many how to's on adjusting it. I even went as far as to start from closed and work my way the whole way through the adjustment range turn by turn, but cannot get this load to lock back on an empty mag or even load a second shot.

They shoot well, but unlike the factory rounds that cycle perfectly, they do not cycle...
If i up the powder, I get significant pressure signs and around 27.2 start to loose primers, not to mention the pattern starts in gain in spread..

Do I just give up on the powder?
Anyone else ever have problems with H335?
More Curious than anything.

Chime in with what you know,
thanks
 
JFoley, with the gas block i always start with it all the way open and close off til it starts to not cycle or pick up ext round then open 1/2 turn till it start to cycle&pick up next round, are you testing this from a rest bipod? you may not have enough shoulder pressure (free recoil)
H335 works great on the lite weight bullets like 50 gn's, try CFE 223 or RL15
 
I was shooting from a bipod, which could be part of it, as far as the gas block goes, I had it the whole way open, detente were no longer clicking. It didn't seem to make a difference. Alliant just came out with their reload data , and they have a recipe for rl15. I'll be giving that a shot this coming weekend. I'm just surprised that there isn't a spot h335 produces enough gas to cycle ..
 
I run rcbs small base dies , haha read a bunch of stories of people having issues over dies, so I went right for them. And yes factory cycles just fine. Gotta be the load just not expelling enough gas right?
 
I would use a slower powder. Your load is only 1.5 gr more than a hot 223 load which in a larger case probably doesn't generate enough port pressure, but still generates fairly high chamber pressure.

Your velocity will also likely much improve before you reach pressure signs.
 
An example I experienced myself was IMR 4198 under 40 gr 223 loads. Fine velocity and accuracy but the powder was too fast to run the action.
 
Thinkin’ I read that fer 22 Nosler (very similar only w/a longer case body), the gas port diameter (larger) and its location (rifle length) was important for proper cycling. The adjustable gas block was for fine tuning.
 
Don't remember what the water capacity off a 223 case, but the 224 is 31.9 grains. Don't think it's a whole lot more..

I also don't know how fast I'll be able to push the nosler ballistic tips. I think the factory ammo is rated at 3300 fps.. pretty sure that's out of a 24in tube. I myself pushed some 52gr varmageddon bullets to about 3200fps out of my 18 without it showing much for pressure in hopes of creating a super flat coyote round... however I found that they had a hard time making it to the target.. something about a super thin jacket and spinning about 330k rpms didn't mix. And after shooting the 60gr nbts around 3000 fps , I think it'll be plenty flat enough. And if I can get them around 3200, it'll be a bonus
 
I am currently having the same problem . Scratch build , rifle is shooting great but not feeding or locking bolt back , have not had factory ammo to test so started things with reloads . Rcbs FL dies referencing sierra's load data on 60g but using 60g vmax . I'm relatively new to reloading so i'm wondering if it's my reloads . @Jfoley have you fixed your issue yet ?
 
Raftr said:
I am currently having the same problem . Scratch build , rifle is shooting great but not feeding or locking bolt back , have not had factory ammo to test so started things with reloads . Rcbs FL dies referencing sierra's load data on 60g but using 60g vmax . I'm relatively new to reloading so i'm wondering if it's my reloads . @Jfoley have you fixed your issue yet ?
Click to expand...


I ended up changing powders . Too fast of burn rate made the pressure peak too early. I now have used rl15 and rl17. Which both worked with decent results. However , I have the savage, and it wrecks all my brass whether I'm pushing the pressure or not. You could probably get h335 ro work with 90s, just a guess. My best results have been with the nosler rdfs, and the Berger matchburners with rl17. I actually have pretty good results making up 62gr tracers with rl15. The bullets are long and shoot like a heavier longer round.

I did blast the gas system out with hornady one shot. Blew a lot of stuff out. Never re-tried the h335 after that.
 
Jfoley said:
I ended up changing powders . Too fast of burn rate made the pressure peak too early. I now have used rl15 and rl17. Which both worked with decent results. However , I have the savage, and it wrecks all my brass whether I'm pushing the pressure or not. You could probably get h335 ro work with 90s, just a guess. My best results have been with the nosler rdfs, and the Berger matchburners with rl17. I actually have pretty good results making up 62gr tracers with rl15. The bullets are long and shoot like a heavier longer round.

I did blast the gas system out with hornady one shot. Blew a lot of stuff out. Never re-tried the h335 after that.
Click to expand...
Jfoley said:
I ended up changing powders . Too fast of burn rate made the pressure peak too early. I now have used rl15 and rl17. Which both worked with decent results. However , I have the savage, and it wrecks all my brass whether I'm pushing the pressure or not. You could probably get h335 ro work with 90s, just a guess. My best results have been with the nosler rdfs, and the Berger matchburners with rl17. I actually have pretty good results making up 62gr tracers with rl15. The bullets are long and shoot like a heavier longer round.

I did blast the gas system out with hornady one shot. Blew a lot of stuff out. Never re-tried the h335 after that.
Click to expand...
I've been using Tac . I wonder if going to a lighter weight buffer solve the issue . The Tac &60g hornady is showing reel good promise and would hate to give it up20180613_124011.jpg 20180613_124011.jpg
 
I imagine using a lightweight buffer and spring could make it work. Only issue I forsee is that heavy loads you may shoot in the future could bottom out the buffer. Slightly more wear and tear on the gun, but mostly more felt recoil . It is a relatively cheap solution as long as you taylor your other rounds to it. If you give it a shot let me know how it goes
 
Jfoley said:
I imagine using a lightweight buffer and spring could make it work. Only issue I forsee is that heavy loads you may shoot in the future could bottom out the buffer. Slightly more wear and tear on the gun, but mostly more felt recoil . It is a relatively cheap solution as long as you taylor your other rounds to it. If you give it a shot let me know how it goes
Click to expand...
Talked with local gunsmith and he suggested lighter spring they use for 300BO so i ordered one . I plan on working this 60vmax for a bit then start loading 70 Tsx . This is basically a long range coyote gun for me
 
Raftr said:
Talked with local gunsmith and he suggested lighter spring they use for 300BO so i ordered one . I plan on working this 60vmax for a bit then start loading 70 Tsx . This is basically a long range coyote gun for me
Click to expand...

That's what I bought mine for as well, but no matter what I did the 60s wouldn't shoot under an 1.25in groups. If you dont mind how far are you jumping the bullets? I have a bunch of 60gr left , and dont care to go right to an 85gr bullet for coyotes
 
Jfoley said:
That's what I bought mine for as well, but no matter what I did the 60s wouldn't shoot under an 1.25in groups. If you dont mind how far are you jumping the bullets? I have a bunch of 60gr left , and dont care to go right to an 85gr bullet for coyotes
Click to expand...
I jump .1 grain 2,4,6,ect 3 shot group and when i see a decent group I'll work that load and the 2 in between and see what works the best . This gun just landed on two good nodes right . I went through about 200 50g varmint grenades in my 223 just to find a good node .
 
Raftr said:
I jump .1 grain 2,4,6,ect 3 shot group and when i see a decent group I'll work that load and the 2 in between and see what works the best . This gun just landed on two good nodes right . I went through about 200 50g varmint grenades in my 223 just to find a good node .
Click to expand...
Went out testing today replaced buffer spring with 300bo spring solved all cycling issues
 
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